So I Learned From You
by notalone91
Summary: Modern AU. Vignettes from a transformative period in Katniss' life, her downstairs neighbor's piano playing, dealing with jobs, breakups, new romances. (Everlark Endgame. T for language and some adult situations.)


Some things are a great bother to deal with. Others are not. Sometimes, the two can be terribly difficult to discern. Katniss Everdeen was convinced that whoever it was in the apartment below her was, for sure, going to be the hardest thing in her life, at the moment. When a person lives in a low-rent, inner-city apartment, they have to expect a certain amount of noise pollution. But this?

It was early on a Sunday morning when she heard it for the first time. **Clang. Clang. Clangity clangclang.** _What in the fresh hell,_ she thought. **CLANG CLANG CLANG. Br-r-r-R-R-R-INGGGG!** Wiping the sleep from her eyes, Katniss looked over at her alarm clock. _7:15! You have got to be kidding me!_ She rolled over on to her stomach and stuffed her pillow over her head. _Who in Christ's name is playing piano this early in the morning?_ After a few minutes, the tuneless plunking subsided, but Katniss was awake. And, when Katniss is awake, everyone else had better be too. She took her dad's old guitar out of the case and began to strum away for a while before getting ready to meet her friends for their bi-weekly brunch.

"I'm telling you, Jo, I was fuming," she seethed as her friend poured her another mimosa.

The girl next to her nodded, looking around at their group for help, not realizing what a can of worms she'd opened when she asked Katniss how her morning went. "I can see that, Kat," Johanna affirmed. She poured herself a drink as well then placed the pitcher away from where Katniss's erratic gesturing might upend it.

"Why didn't you go down and give the parents a piece of your mind instead of letting it bug you," Finnick asked, pulling his new girlfriend, Annie, closer to him subtly. They'd been dating for two months, but it was her first time meeting Katniss and Johanna, and Finnick was growing concerned that she was going to think that his friends were nuts and split.

Katniss exhaled sharply, blowing a few stray strands of hair from her face. "And said what, exactly? 'Dude, can you tell your kid to shut up? People are trying to sleep here!'" She rolled her eyes at him. "Besides, I just moved in a week ago. What if they've been living there forever and the kid's been away or something?"

"No," he corrected slowly, rolling his eyes back at her. "I was thinking something more along the lines of 'Excuse me, I'm sorry to bother you, but I work until 3 a.m. Would it be possible for you to encourage your kid's activity to take place a little later in the day?' And, where would the kid have been for the second week of April?"

"Families go on vacation whenever," Katniss answered, bordering on a groan.

Johanna laughed over Katniss's response. "Since when are you the tact coach?"

"Very funny," he said, shooting a pointedly annoyed look her way. "I'm very tactful. I have to be to deal with the people who I deal with."

"Telling people what they need to hear to achieve your ends is not tact, Finnick," Annie said, looking up at him. "That's being a used car salesman."

A wide smile crossed both of the other girls' faces. "I like you," Johanna said, pointing at Annie, who smiled broadly right back. Katniss nodded approvingly alongside her.

"So, Katniss, where's Gale this morning?"

15 April: I'm gonna shoot something. This morning it was the clanging. I got home this afternoon and it was scales. For an hour. SCALES. Who the hell buys their kid a piano and gets them lessons the very same day? Sadists, that's who. Sadists who have no respect for their neighbors' sanity. I mean, I'm all for getting your kid involved in the arts, but fucking... can't they learn elsewhere until the training wheels are off? Someplace far away. With acoustic paneled practice rooms. It's days like this that I hate the lack of archery ranges in the city. I miss my bow. Anyway, brunch was nice...

Six weeks went by and the kid was still working on scales. They were getting faster, Katniss supposed, but still stumbling in C major. C major, of all things! There aren't any sharps or flats, kid! All white keys, she thought to herself as she cooked dinner one night, waiting for Gale's arrival.

A knock came on the door at exactly 7 p.m., accompanying an A# that didn't belong in the 300th-or-so run of the evening He's never late, is he? She undid her apron and hung it back on the side of the refrigerator, wiped her hands on the towel and went to the door. "Almost there," she called out as she slid the chain across and let him in.

"Hey, Catnip," Gale said, kissing her lightly and following her back to the kitchen. "Smells good in here. They're still at it?" he asked, nearly cutting himself off.

Katniss returned to the stove, stirring the sauce for the pasta so it wouldn't stick as the pasta finished boiling. "Are they? I hardly notice," she lied. She felt herself twitch a bit every time the kid missed then fell on to the submediant. Two more notes.

1 June: How long do they focus on scales for formal lessons!? God, I'm so glad I taught myself guitar. I'd've gone batty. I hope they move on to something else soon. Pro tip, kid: WHOLE WHOLE HALF WHOLE WHOLE WHOLE HALF. Even Gale seemed put off by it tonight and he wouldn't know a pentatonic scale from a tectonic plate. He's still sweet, though. Tonight, he...

Katniss and Finnick sat cross-legged on her floor like they did every time he stayed with her until The Hob, the bar where she worked, closed and walked her home, especially when Greasy Sae, the manager and possibly Katniss' favorite person outside of her group of friends, would let her play a set or two. It seemed that the young, pretty bartender-sometimes-performer had developed a following of the skeeviest men in the city. Usually, they'd get pizza and a six pack. That night, though, since the strains of Chopsticks could be heard flowing through her apartment all morning, she'd been craving Mei Fun all day, so it was Chinese and Vodka. "It's hardly something new," Finnick stated plainly, taking a vicious bite of a spring roll and spraying bits of cabbage into the air.

She stared at him dumbfounded. "Did you not hear me? Gale wants a key." She pushed the noodles around in the container angrily.

"Yes?"

"To my apartment," she waved her chopsticks around, gesturing at the room as though he needed reminding.

"Well, I figured, since he already had the one to your heart." He leaned back against the couch and smiled smugly, taking a swig of his drink.

"Shut up, Finnick," she said, landing a light kick to his knee.

All he could do was shake his head at her for a moment. "I'm serious! You guys have been together over six months."

Six months? That was long enough for a key for Finnick? She'd had things in the back of her fridge longer than that. Hell, she'd waited longer than that to buy her guitar, and she was sure she wanted that forever from the moment she set eyes on it. Not so much with Gale. She took a bite of her food and chewed it carefully before responding. "You don't just ask a person for a key to their apartment. I've never given a guy a key. And I've never wanted a key from a guy."

Finnick rolled his eyes. "But we're not kids anymore, Katniss."

That much was true, she supposed, but she wasn't aware that her early twenties were the time to be settling down. She was pretty sure that her twenties were designated pretty much for getting her shit together. He'd been a final year grad student when she was in her last semester of college. She was one of the only people in the class completely disinterested in him, which he truly appreciated. She'd sit in the back of the room and they'd talk every chance they got. Over time, he became the big brother she'd never had. In the years since they'd graduated their respective programs, they'd become even closer. He'd introduced her to Johanna, a friend of his from home who was nearer Katniss' age than him and the pair had quickly become best friends. Still, she thought, sometimes it was really clear that he forgot that he was 30, a full seven years older than her. It wasn't much in the grand scheme of things, but it was certainly enough to put them in different places.

They weren't kids, sure, she conceded, but she wasn't ready to be a full-fledged grown-up yet either. Katniss tried taking his comment to heart. "I know that, which is why it's even more important to think these things through."

"Do you think he's the one?" Finnick asked, too casually, as though it was the simplest thing to answer.

She responded with the only thing she could honestly say. "I don't know."

"Katniss..." he said, voice bordering on condescension.

She froze up, putting her food on the table and climbing up on to the couch and away from him. "I don't know, okay! God! Is Annie the one?"

"Yes." A quiet fell on the room. She'd never have expected that response. How could he be so sure so soon? She mused on it for a minute. Then, ever the one to know when to drop a subject, Finnick asked, mouth full of food again, "Why'd you want Chinese, anyway? You hate this stuff."

Katniss groaned. "You don't want to know."

27 June: IT'S HALF NOTE QUARTER NOTE IN THE 7TH BAR, NOT DOTTED QUARTER EIGHTH QUARTER! READ THE MUSIC IF YOU HAVE IT OR GO LISTEN TO THE SONG, DEAR GOD. CHOPSTICKS IS NOT THAT DIFFICULT. That was probably harsh. I mean, they're probably figuring it out by ear like most people do.

Fireworks were booming overhead from the riverfront Independence Day Celebrations as Katniss emerged from the seedy club's stage door into the adoring arms of her friends. Johanna, Finnick, Annie, and Gale They cheered for her before parting their cluster to reveal her little sister, whose visit they'd arranged and kept a complete secret. Primrose rushed toward her sister. "You were seriously great tonight, Katniss. Did you hear the crowd?"

The appearance of the younger girl knocked her thought process completely askew. She hugged her tightly and babbled, "Not really. I mean, yes, but... I wasn't that great... at all. It's just a little downtown club it's not..."

"Katniss, it's huge," Prim said, looking up at her big sister at arms length. "You're really doing it. Your songs, your voice, it's all out there." For the stark contrast in the girls' appearance, an outside observer might not have even realized the girls were related unless they'd heard the exchange. It wasn't often that the girls got to see each other anymore, and when they did, Katniss found herself suddenly horribly aware of how much she'd missed moving so far from home. Her baby sister was all grown up, set to graduate Cum Laude from a prestigious pre-med program. Even if she decided not to go to med school and get her nursing certificate, she'd be doing so much more good than Katniss, and Katniss would never let herself forget it. Music may be what she'd come to love to do, but what difference was she really making in a smoky bar in a crappy part of a huge city with a million other venues? Still, her Prim looked at her like she was the bastard love child of sunshine and chocolate. "What'd you think, Gale?" Prim asked her sister's boyfriend, looking for confirmation.

She should have known better than to ask him. "It was good," Gale said, halfheartedly, staring at his feet absently.

"Forget him," Johanna said, sensing Prim's disappointment and pushing Gale aside, closing in the ranks between them. "Katniss, this could be a real game changer for you. I think the odds are in your favor here."

4 July: I had a gig at a club over the bridge tonight. Everyone came, even Prim. I don't know. Apparently, it was really good and people really responded to me. Everyone was really positive but Gale. He seemed really distant... I wonder what his deal is.

The change in seasons had always been something Katniss looked forward to. Halloween being her favorite holiday didn't hurt either. She'd hoped to be able to spend the holiday at some party with Gale, but as he'd grown more and more distant since summer, it became less and less likely that that would be the case. Deciding that it's always more fun to be with friends, Annie decided that they'd make a girls' night out of it and give out candy to the kids in her building. The theme of the night was sealed when Thelma and Louise knocked on Liz Lemon's door.

The hours passed and the girls decided that they were done handing out candy because they wanted some of their own. They were halfway through their second cheesy horror movie when finally, Katniss gave a voice to the bad mood Johanna and Annie had been pestering her about. "I don't know where he decided he'd rather be tonight but it sucks."

"Guys suck," Johanna affirmed from where she sat, on the floor between her friend's legs.

"Trouble in paradise?" Annie asked. Johanna's latest boyfriend was definitely an improvement from the last, but he wasn't a crowd favorite. He was quite a bit older and a frequent patron of The Hob, but Johanna enjoyed his sardonic wit and he certainly didn't lack for experience.

"He just stopped being able to get me there," she gestured a bit at her crotch before making a crude gesture, making Annie blush, "so I stopped trying to get him there. Turns out, he was trying to figure out some way to tell me I'm 'too sex-centric'. Like that's a thing." She rolled her eyes and plucked a Kit Kat from the bowl for herself.

"'Too sex-centric?'" Katniss asked, deeply confused. Sure, there were guys that weren't really into it. She wouldn't argue that. But, she was very used to seeing Johanna used and abused for just that, and this guy seemed like just another in that line, and, in her experience, when guys his age went for girls their age, that was what they were looking for.

"Yeah," Johanna scoffed.

"Huh," Annie mused, confused too. "I mean, Finnick and I..."

Johanna coughed dramatically and interrupted her. "Annie, honey, I love you, but ix-nay on the innick-Fay if we're talking enis-pay. He's like my brother."

"A brother you happen to have dated," she said, chucking a pumpkin shaped pillow at the girl's head.

"For a week," she whined, "When we were kids!"

Annie rolled her eyes. "He says the same thing about you, it's fine."

"Still, sorry," she shrugged guiltily.

As Katniss took in the scene in front of her, she gave a contented sigh. If this was the life she got to have without Gale, fuck him.

31 October: We had a girls' night giving out candy to the kids in Annie's building since Finnick's out of town and Gale's being a class A dick. It was nice. We laughed a lot.

The month of November grew cold fast. Katniss found herself growing cold with the air. One night, early in the month, she got a text from a number she didn't know with a picture of a guy's penis. She texted the person back, telling them it was a wrong number. It happened every day for the month. They were definitely the same person every time. But they didn't look like the typical self-shot ones. These were taken by a partner. Whatever the case may be, she was growing quite tired of it.

On Christmas Eve, she found herself content in Gale's arms after their first night together in weeks. Just as she was dozing off, her phone buzzed, and there it was: The birthmark. She couldn't believe she hadn't noticed it before. It was in every picture; just on the left hip and shaped like a little bird, the kind they use in mines to alert the miners to a lack of oxygen. The exact one that Gale had.

She dug her foot into his side and gave him a push, sending him to her bedroom floor with an unceremonious thud.

"What the hell was that for, Katniss?"

"For this," she said, tone even and surprisingly calm, leaning over to him, showing her phone. "And this, and this, and this..." She threw it at him, leaving an angry welt on his shoulder as she got up and went into the bathroom. She heard Gale curse quietly to himself, scramble to put his clothes on and leave her apartment.

She didn't know what to do. Screaming was out, even though that was what she really wanted. She lived in an apartment and someone would call the cops.

She came back out and texted Johanna, complete with a folder of the evidence. Then, she headed out into the kitchen, pulled a bottle of whiskey out of the cabinet and sat herself on the counter, taking a deep swig and waiting for a response.

Not a minute later, her best friend was on the phone. "He what?"

"You read it."

"Well," Johanna huffed. "Merry Fucking Christmas."

25 December: If I never hear the opening of Good King Wenceslas again, it will be too soon. Piano kid was at it all morning. I can only imagine how sick of it its parents must be. Hopefully, Santa Claus brought them ear plugs or something. I know I wish he'd brought me that instead of all those lovely snapshots... Santa Claus is an asshole.

For the third consecutive weekend, Katniss and Johanna were coming back in from the bar at an hour that could either have been called way too late or way too early.

"Whatever, dude. Fuck 'im. Fuck 'im," Katniss slurred, slumped over her much more sober friend.

"Isn't that the problem?" Johanna asked in earnest.

"No!" Katniss whelped, before scrunching up her face and swung her free arm haphazardly, nearly sending the pair careening into the street. "Well, yes. But other people. Not me. Not me. I say fuck 'im." She grew eerily quiet for a moment, gathering herself before starting again. "God, I can't believe they weren't all from the same woman. Who fucking does that?"

"I say you're going to regret this whole night in the morning." Johanna was growing very concerned for her friend. This wasn't like her at all.

"No! No, my head is clear now! Fuzzy, but really fucking clear! He cheated on me. Cheated! On me! A lot." They were reaching out for the door together when it swung out into them. Johanna caught it, but Katniss stumbled back, catching instead the stranger who came out through it. She grasped his strong biceps and looked up into the friendliest pair of blue eyes she'd ever seen at that hour of the morning, or maybe ever. "After like a year. And I was gonna give him the damn key for Christmas? Fucker." She pulled the guy closer as she spoke, trying to bring him into focus.

"Do you guys need help?" he asked Johanna over Katniss's head as he handed her back to her friend.

"Thanks," Johanna said, gesturing her head at the second door. "Could you grab that?"

"Sure," he obliged, heading back into the building without a second thought.

Johanna nodded him another quick "Thanks," and headed off to the elevator.

"No problem," he replied and disappeared into the night.

Katniss found herself disinterested with the elevator, or going home at all. "He's hot!" she said. "I should go find him." She stumbled away from Johanna, only to be caught by the wrist.

"Maybe when you're sober, Katniss." Katniss nodded at her friend and leaned back on her for support while they waited for the world's slowest elevator. "Okay, here we go," Johanna coaxed when the door dinged open, and the pair entered.

As the elevator whirred to life and began its ascent, Katniss began to break. Faced with the idea of her empty apartment, she sobbed, "What did I do wrong?"

Flummoxed, Johanna could only hold tight to her friend and silently curse Gale and everything he stood for. After what felt like an eternity, Johanna navigated them down the hall toward Katniss' place.

"Katniss..." A familiar voice washed over the girls.

"Gale," Katniss gasped.

Johanna sighed, letting the three of them into the apartment. She forced food, Gatorade and tylenol on Katniss and, only when she was satisfied that Gale only wanted to talk and that Katniss was sober enough to be left alone with him, headed for home in the pre-dawn light, having told them both to check in with her periodically because she did not and would not trust Gale.

13 January: So, last night is a blur, but I woke up at my own leisure with Gale on my couch. Interesting...

Another month went by and Katniss' life had calmed down some. She was sitting at her kitchen table, watching her pace as she unpacked the backpack she carried. She'd already given her pitch and was setting it up. Katniss shook her head. "A youtube channel? Really?"

"Yes! That's a big thing right now!" She unfolded the sheet she'd brought as a backdrop and draped it over the foam poster boards she'd brought as makeshift light reflectors. "You don't even really have to do music the whole time. If you do a couple songs and then like a challenge or something, then Q&A's and collaborations and stuff when people start following you." She noticed Katniss' frustrated glares and shoved them aside, along with the paper she'd been reading before she showed up, then set about assembling the tabletop tripod she'd brought and placed her camera on top. "Plus," she added over her shoulder, "you look really cute right now with that braid and the whole you-ness of you. So, we're doing it right now before you change your mind."

Katniss groaned, folding her arms putting her head on them. "I didn't say yes to this."

"When I called, I asked if you would do me a favor and you said yes," she countered. "Does this kid ever stop? I mean... Heart and Soul? Shouldn't they be past that stage?" She laughed and stomped her foot loudly trying to stop the jaunty tune. All that did was make the kid play louder.

"But Johanna-"

"No," she said, interrupting her and pointing at the small microphone she'd set up, in the meantime for her to test as she peeked her head out from behind her laptop, which she'd put out behind the camera.

"Do you know how crazy you sound?" Katniss sing-songed into the device.

Johanna laughed. "No." She was pretty sure this was the most sane thing to come from her in a long time.

The room fell silent as she readied the rest of the room. After a while, Katniss shook her head, finally deciding that she wasn't going to win this battle. What harm could one video that no one was going to see do? "So, what do I sing?"

"What was that cover you did at the show last night that was SO Valentine's?" Johanna asked.

"Closer?" she said. She couldn't have meant that.

Johanna smiled, "Yes." She'd thought that the old Tegan and Sara tune would be hysterical, and Katniss made all of these faces when she played it that she could just see people posting and commenting about how cute she was.

"Isn't that too much?" The song was a touch on the suggestive side. "Especially for a first?"

"Fine. Think about other romance-y covers you do," Johanna conceded. "Speaking of love and crap, how are things with Chicken Dick?"

Katniss coughed out a laugh. "Chicken dick?" She was used to Johanna's particularly scathing nicknames for Gale by now, but this was just sad.

She shrugged. "Cold, slimy, more likely to make you sick than anything else, definitely not something you want near your vag. Sorry, I'm off form. I may be running out of creative insults for Captain Cum Stain," Johanna explained, rolling her eyes and gesturing for Katniss to sit in the chair she'd set in front of the backdrop, then began focusing the camera and searching for a light to use.

"That'll never happen," Katniss said, plopping unceremoniously in the chair, rolling her eyes back at her friend. "Gale's alright. It's all so..." She made a gesture with her hands that seemed like she was pushing it away, before covering her face. "I just don't know how much I can trust him anymore. But we're trying again." She sighed, then leaned back.

"So, how about a song for him?" Johanna suggested.

Katniss thought for a moment, then went for her guitar and stopped at Johanna's laptop. She pulled up a video and showed it to Johanna, who nodded in approval.

She set herself up, crossing her leg under her and propped her guitar on her lap, slinging the strap around her neck. She strummed casually a few times, making sure she was tuned, then started. Her voice filled the tiny room as she sang through the first couple of phrases. " _Not a million fights could make me hate you. You're invincible. Yeah, it's true. It's in your eyes where I find peace. Is it broken? Can we work it out? Let's light up the town and scream out loud._ " Johanna had never heard her friend sing like this before. She'd been to her gigs before and she'd heard her sing in the car and the shower, but this was different. Her voice was steady and pure, but with some new character to it. Johanna smiled. She knew she was right. Katniss sang on. " _Is it broken? Can we work it out? I can see in your eyes you're ready to break. Don't look away._ "At some point, even piano kid had stopped. Katniss hoped they were listening.

A hush fell the room and Johanna clicked the button to end the video.

"Do you think we should film an intro or something?" Katniss asked.

"No," Johanna said, uncharacteristically quiet. "Let that sit on it's own." The girls chatted idly as Johanna uploaded it to her laptop and watched it back (with headphones, at the behest of the singer.) "Here's hoping," she said, clicking upload and watching the bar crawl across.

"Yeah," Katniss agreed. She wasn't really sure what she was supposed to be hoping for, but she found herself hoping anyway as piano kid's tune of the day ding-ding-ding-ed back into play.

14 February: Heart and soul, I fell in love with you heart and soul the way a fool would do maaaadlyyyy because you held me tight and stole a kiiiiss in the niiight. Welcome back to 6th grade general music. Hours and Hours and HOURS of Heart and Soul. I think my Adele playlist might keep the noise out for now.

A few months went by and twice a week, like clockwork, Johanna was in her kitchen and they were filming a video. Katniss didn't question it. She just let Johanna have her fun. Even if nobody was watching them, it was cool to get to spend a guaranteed two days a week with her best friend singing and laughing.

On a Monday, two days before their normal filming, Katniss got a call from a frantic Johanna. "Katniss?"

"What's up, Jo?" she asked, concerned. It was rare that Johanna actually called her instead of a text or just showing up.

Her voice was reaching intensely high pitches, the likes of which were unusual for her. "Have you checked the channel?"

"No, why?" Suddenly, she felt a little guilty that she hadn't.

"Do it."

"Okay, why?" She asked as she flipped open the laptop on her bed and typed the url. "500 followers?! Holy shit! Why didn't you tell me?"

"I just wanted you to keep making the music. People love you."

She began scrolling through the videos, marvelling at numbers she had never expected. "Get out! This is crazy. Broken's been watched almost 3,500 times?" She clicked in to their very first video and scrolled through the comments. There were, of course, some negative comments, even a few offensive, but she couldn't be bothered. More people had seen this video than a month's worth of gigs. "There's even a comment about the 'strains of heart & soul in the background' adding a 'bittersweet touch.' What!?" It was so absurd to her, she couldn't help but laugh.

"I'm on my way over. I have an idea," Johanna said before hanging up.

When she got there, she pitched her idea. A split screen mash up. It sounded time consuming and complicated, but Katniss was completely on board.

The girls, while laughing at the ridiculous monotony of pop music, found 16 songs they could work into one, layering each one over another at one point or another. It went a lot faster once they'd sat down, Johanna at her laptop and Katniss on guitar, and hammered it out. Katniss laid 16 separate video tracks, each with a different melodic line, including one with her guitar, one with a small Casio keyboard, one with a shaker egg, and one with a box drum. It took the girls nearly 2 full days to record, but they managed it.

For the first time, Katniss watched back the video with Johanna, both girls floored with how the Abundance of Katnisses (as Johanna had decided the video should be named) created an intricately woven tapestry of sound, each bringing a new color to the mix. Neither could wait to see what happened, so they posted it as a 500 follower gift, and recorded a different video for the next day's usual post.

24 May: Hopefully Jo's mega mashup idea was a success. It seemed like it. Even piano kid stopped playing to listen. Or maybe he had to go to bed.

That summer was possibly the hottest Katniss could remember. She had vowed to herself to spend as little of it inside of her non-air conditioned apartment as possible. Every Friday before work, she and Gale had started double going to an ice cream shop downtown with Finnick and Annie. On this particular night, Katniss had just come to learn that Johanna's idea had paid off. The mega mashup had gained serious traction and was up to over 2 million views, most of those in the last week. She had excitedly scrambled up to her friends, who were waiting outside her building for her, and shared her news, ending with an over the top curtsey before they headed on their way. Finnick and Annie both showered her with praise.

Gale, however, was less than enthused. "You had one video go viral, Katniss. That does not a star make," he said, rolling his eyes at her.

"Can't you just be happy for me?" she asked, crestfallen.

"No. This is lazy."

Her jaw dropped. Was he serious? "Lazy? We worked really hard on that video!"

"You're playing into a ridiculous stereotype."

Finnick saw his friend's distress and, he had to admit, thought Gale was being a real asshole, considering that he had to know that he was on thin ice with all of her friends still. He released Annie's hand and fell into step with Katniss, wedging himself between the couple and draping his arm over her shoulder. "Take it where you can, babe," he said, pinching a little at her side.

"Finnick, stop encouraging her. It's dumb. People with real talent don't belong on there. You were doing fine with the gigs."

Katniss shook her head. "Fine here, Gale. But with this, I can reach an infinite amount of people." She couldn't figure out for the life of her why he was so hesitant about this. She began running the numbers in her head. "Let's say that I sell out a gig, which has never happened yet. That's what? 300 people? If even half of them check me out online and half of them show one friend a video, that's 75 more people that have seen me. That's not nothing. Plus, doing covers, I'm getting hits from people looking up that specific song. It's phenomenal free marketing. On top of that, I get paid. Not a lot because I'm only working off of ad revenue, but it's something to supplement."

Annie closed in the ranks, taking Katniss' free hand in hers. "And didn't Jo set up a meeting for the two of you with an agent? That's a big deal." She patted her hand, then craned her neck to look at him. "This is a huge thing, Gale. It's a new medium."

"I don't think so. I think it's a cop out," he said, pace quickening.

"Fine. You're entitled to that opinion," Katniss called after him, tugging her friends closer.

If Gale had expected his resistance to deter her, he was dead wrong. Katniss felt a fire growing in the pit of her belly and knew that there was no extinguishing it. She was sure that this was a good thing.

18 August: God, why is he such an asshole? Would it kill him to be supportive? And I think Piano Kid's on vacation? The building's lonely without their racket.

Katniss boarded the elevator having yet another argument with Gale on the phone. It seemed like anytime she mentioned her videos, which is what she was going home to get ready to do, he'd clam up and ice her out. He'd mentioned that he didn't like so many people having a piece of her and she lost it. She was beginning to think that no matter how she achieved her goals or lived her passions, he wouldn't be happy. She didn't need that kind of negativity right now. She needed a clear headspace. She had to end this conversation. "Whatever, bye," she said coldly, just as an arm stuck through the closing space between the doors.

She sighed and folded her arms, leaning against the railing as a blond guy she sort of remembered seeing around stepped inside. "Guy troubles?" he guessed, as she blew a stray piece of hair out of her face and shook her head. "Sorry, I couldn't help but overhear. And that had to either be a mom or a significant other.

"Yeah."

"He's not worth it, I'd guess." The pair of strangers waited in silence as the elevator signalled the first floor. The man stared at Katniss out of the corner of his eye, trying to place her. He knew he'd seen her around the building, usually with another girl, but that wasn't it. "Wait a minute. Aren't you the girl with the mashup of a million different songs that are exactly the same?" Katniss smiled and blushed. She would never get used to being recognized. "I'd never have thought to put Haligh, Haligh in there." He said, laughing nervously.

"You've seen my video?" she asked.

"Absolutely. Who hasn't? I loved it." He extended his hand to her. "I'm Peeta."

"Katniss," she answered, then returned to silence as the elevator crawled through the remaining floors.

"I guess I'll see you around, Katniss," he said, blue eyes glittering as he stepped off on the floor below hers.

She waved at him. "I guess so."

Later that night, she checked the channel before bed and noticed a comment on the mash up.

 _BakerBoyPM108: why dont you do one with its a small world in it and dedicate it to your cute neighbor? ;)_

21 November: Peanuts. I don't want to watch them, hear them, see them, I don't think I could even manage to eat a peanut right now. Stupid jaunty theme song. Fuck this time of year. Piano kid couldn't even wait until after Thanksgiving? Cool. Thanks.

A month passed and Peeta was someone Katniss looked forward to seeing. She'd catch him on the way up the elevator and drag him up to her apartment. On New Years Eve, Katniss planned a party on the roof of their building and wouldn't take no for an answer once she heard that he didn't have plans. "PEETA! Hi!" She bounced over to greet him when he came up.

"Hey, Katniss."

She grabbed him by the arm and started the introductions. "Peeta, this is Gale, my boyfriend, Johanna, you know, Finnick, and his girlfriend Annie. Guys, this is Peeta. He lives in the building.

A chorus of cheerful greetings were sent his way. Still, one couldn't accept the innocense. "So, what brings you up here this fine evening?" Gale asked, tone severe.

"Katniss asked me," Peeta answered, not sure how that could have been missed. The guy mingled with the group. He had to admit, Katniss' friends were really cool. Over the course of the night, he'd gotten everyone's numbers and was having a generally great time. Katniss put on a little concert that Johanna, of course, filmed every moment of- much to Gale's displeasure.

"Less than a minute, all! Come here!" Jo called out to the group.

 **30!**

Gale took Katniss by the hand and held her back from everyone else. "Katniss, there's something I've been wanting to say. It's been a rough couple of months and a lot of that is my fault," he started.

 **25!**

Katniss looked at him questioningly. Was now the time for a big confession? 'But I love you more than anything else in the world and I would do anything to make that all go away. But I can't."

 _Fuck, is he breaking up with me,_ she thought. _He can't do this to me two years in a row._ "Gale, I..." she stammered, trying to pull them toward the group. _He can finish this speech tomorrow. I want to have a good rest of the night. Not now._

 **20!**

Gale wasn't having it. He continued, against her protests. "And I'm sorry that I've been a little cold and distant recently, but I've been planning this for a while." He shoved his hands into his jacket pockets.

 **15!**

"Ever since the day I met you, I knew you were the one. There've been moments where others might not have bought it, but they don't matter. I've done everything I can think of to show you." He pulled a small black velvet box out of his pocket.

 **10!**

"All I can do now..."

Katniss' jaw dropped.

 **9!**

"...is promise that I..."

Her hands flew to her cheeks.

 **8!**

"...will love you..."

 **7!**

"...for as long as you..."

 **6!**

"...will let me."

 **5!**

Gale dropped to one knee and opened the box, revealing a modest diamond ring. "Katniss Everdeen..."

 **4!**

Annie gasped, realizing what was happening. Johanna, Finnick, and Peeta whipped around to see what happened.

 **3!**

Katniss stared at him, blinking as though she thought the scene might change when they reopened.

 **2!**

"Will you marry me?"

 **1!**

As fireworks exploded across the city, Katniss' mind was dealing with fireworks of its own.

"Well?

"It's... wow," she stammered. Their relationship hadn't been on the best terms of late. Was all of that really just because he was nervous about asking her to marry him? It couldn't have been. She tried to speak again, pulling him up to meet her. "Gale, I didn't... I didn't expect this. Can I have a little while to think about it?"

"Fine," he said, disappointment apparent in his voice. "Take however long you need. I love you." Sensing that it just about needed to be done, she pressed a chaste kiss to his lips.

Peeta's cheeks burned pink and Johanna smiled a sly smile at him. "I think I'm gonna head in," he called to the group.

Katniss turned from Gale and crossed to Peeta, pulling him into a friendly hug. "Bye. Happy New Year," she said. He nodded, returning the well wishes. The rest of the group didn't stay too much longer as the temperature seemed to plummet.

"So, should I..." Gale pointed at her door when they reached it.

"Don't you have work tomorrow?" she asked.

Gale stared down at his feet. "No, it's New Year's Day."

"Right," she said, body language mimicking his.

"Do you not want me to stay?"

That was the question, wasn't it? Did she want him to stay? "I think..." she started, then looked up at the man in front of her and restarted, more strongly. "I think it's best if I just sleep on it tonight."

He nodded. He'd expected some resistance. This wasn't what he wanted, but he'd known it was a possibility. "Okay. I love you," he said, leaning down and kissing her.

She returned the kiss, more passionately than earlier. "Love you, too," she said, just as he turned and walked to the elevator. She retreated into her apartment and slumped against the door. "What the fuck," she whispered to exactly no one.

The empty apartment echoed with a disjointed refrain of Auld Lang Syne. She decided it was time for bed.

1 January: We had a little New Years Party. I played guitar for everyone. The guy from the elevator, Peeta, was with us up there for a little while. He's cool. Johanna seemed into him. That could be cool. Oh... And Gale proposed. I told him I needed to think about it and came back in. I hope my super doesn't get too pissed at them being up there without someone who lives here. Piano Kid was playing Auld Lang Syne when I came in from the roof. It didn't suck. What am I going to do?

The following weeks, though uneventful, were clouded with a looming sense of dread. Everyone was trying to force her to make her decision. Gale was looking at her like a kicked puppy. She knew her lack of decision was a good sign to how she really felt, but she wanted to be sure. "Katniss, you can't string him along like this. Yes or no is not that difficult of a thing." Finnick had said to her one night after work.

"I just..." she looked her friend in the eye, trying to decide if he was the one to open up to. Ever the believer in love, she knew he'd get it, but some part of her believed that if there was someone he didn't believe could love or deserved her, it was Gale. She sighed, grabbing another slice of pizza from the box. "I don't know." She chewed each bite too carefully, trying to avoid having to answer too many questions.

Days later, grabbing coffee with Annie, the redhead offered out of the blue. "Let him down easy, Katniss." Katniss picked at the edge of the cardboard sleeve and listened as her friend spoke her piece. "I know he doesn't really deserve it, but he loves you and he knows he did wrong and he may really want this, but if you don't want him, don't make him think he has a chance."

"What Annie said makes sense," Johanna had said after Katniss filled her in the next day they filmed.

Katniss just stared at the ceiling. "He did a lot wrong and I don't... I don't know. I just think that it's too soon." She glanced at her friend, readying the camera. "How do I know he's not going to do it again?"

"You don't."

"What if he does?"

"I kick his ass," Johanna said, face completely straight.

Katniss shook her head. "That's not funny, Jo."

"I'm not laughing," Johanna retorted. The older girl's demeanor softened. "Listen, Katniss. I know you've heard from everyone on God's green Earth on the subject, but it's almost been a month." She sat cross-legged on the table and shrugged. "I think you're running out of time."

The girls were quiet for a while as Katniss tuned her guitar and touched up her makeup. "I don't want to end things," she said finally, "but I don't think I trust him enough to say yes."

Johanna leaned over in front of her, brushing her hair out of her face and adjusting the light reflector. "Then, tell him that, brainless. It may bruise his ego a bit, but I bet he gets it." She crossed back to the camera, then added "Besides, if he doesn't care about you enough to respect that, then he doesn't deserve you."

24 January: I'm gonna say no. But I don't want to break up. I just don't think that where we are now is a very good place for people who plan to spend their life together to be.

After she told Gale how she felt, everything seemed to calm down. Even piano kid was back to their old self, stumbling through song after song. The song of the day was Broken, which definitely made her smile. She hoped she had something to do with that song choice, but there was no way to be sure. She and Johanna were in the middle of filming when Johanna had received a phone call. They decided to take a break and Johanna retreated into Katniss' bedroom. "That was Effie," she said upon her return, referring to Katniss' agent, Effie Trinket. "How do you feel about an EP?"

Katniss, who had relocated to the couch didn't even bother to open her eyes. "As a whole, I think they're not the most elegant form of music distribution, but..."

"For you," Johanna clarified. "An EP that is entirely your songs." Katniss' eyes snapped open, staring at her friend. "That you wrote."

"Seriously?" she yelped, sitting up fast.

"Rethinking that elegant statement?"

She stood up and hurried to Johanna. "They may as well be a de la Renta gown, now."

"I thought you'd say that," she said, sitting down at her laptop and opening up her self-made scheduling program.

"When?" Katniss asked, taking her cue.

Johanna hammered away on the keyboard. "She'd like to have it released by the end of April," she said, entering in dates and information Effie had likely mentioned to her on the phone.

"That's not a lot of time," Katniss said, eyes wide.

"No, it's not," Johanna answered. She turned to face Katniss. "But she's got us a space complete with equipment, someone better at mixing than I am to help out, and you've got at least 50 songs in the back of that diary of yours. We only need 10, maybe 12 if they're short."

"And musicians," Katniss offered.

Johanna smiled, shooing her friend back to her chair. "Easy," she said before pointing to the floor below. "You think they'd be interested?" The girls shared an excited laugh and picked back up where they'd left off.

20 March: Finally, after a year of youtube covers, I'm making a record! A whole record of just my stuff! I'm so excited. Piano kid was playing Broken today. At least, I think that's what it was. Maybe they even watch my videos. Small world, huh?

The album was finished ahead of schedule. Katniss considered every sale a birthday present. Every time the notification on her phone dinged, she did a little dance and had to hold back from telling the nearest person who would listen. By the time her birthday actually came around, she was on cloud 9 all the time.

That morning, she woke up to the sound of her kitchen being used as more than a film set. It was being used as a kitchen. She got out of bed, pulled her pajamas back on, and headed out to see what was cooking. "Happy Birthday, babe," Gale said over his shoulder, sliding bacon out of the pan and onto a paper towel.

"Mmm, thank you," she said, coming up behind him and wrapping her arms around him, possibly making the whole cooking task a bit more difficult.

He turned to her, cradling her in his arms and kissing her twice. Satisfied with that, she pulled back and perched herself on the counter next to him.

"So, remind me again what the game plan is for tonight," he asked, opening the oven and taking out a casserole dish of eggs, sausage, and peppers.

She kicked her feet excitedly. "Jo reserved us a private room at that karaoke bar, remember?" She smiled and nudged Gale.

"Right. Karaoke. Right."

"Is that going to be a problem?" She knew it wasn't his scene, but she'd hoped he'd have fun anyway.

"No, no. It's cool. Just don't expect me to sing," he answered, pulling out silverware and plates.

She pouted and leaned over to him. "Even one? For my birthday," she whined a little and stuck her lower lip out more.

"Even one," Gale said, closing the gap between them and pulling her lip between his. She wove her fingers into his hair and pulled him between her legs. "We'll see," he clarified, giving in to her persuasive tactics. Not good enough. A daring glint crossed her eyes. She wrapped her legs aroud his waist and ground against him, kissing him long and hard. When he remained unmoved, she trailed her hands down from the back of his head and into the waistband of his jeans, rubbing his backside for a moment before bringing them to the front. "Okay, okay, fine, one song," he yelped, lifting her off the counter, "But a rap song so you can sing and I can talk and grab your ass," he said, doing just that before putting her in a chair.

"Fine," she said, smiling broadly up at him.

Later, they did just that. " _Just gonna stand there and hear me cry, but that's alright because I love the way you lie. I love the way you lie._ " The large group of people congregated in the karaoke bar's private room hooted for their guest of honor and her boyfriend. She hopped down off the stage and stumbled, her leg getting tangled with Johanna's who was sitting on the edge of the first sofa. She managed not to fall to the floor, thanks in large part to Peeta, who was sitting next to Jo. "Whoops," she squeaked, looking up at the person who's lap she'd wound up in. "Hi, Peeta."

"Hi, Katniss," he laughed, looking down at her before setting her upright on his knee, against Johanna. "That was great."

"Ha. Thanks." She laughed a little, knowing he wasn't talking about her little fall. "Well, grace and manners were always my strong suit, just ask Effie." She gestured at her manager briefly, interrupted by Gale standing in front of her. "Hey, babe," she said happily, grabbing at his hand.

"Don't you think, maybe, you should eat something," he said, annoyed, trying to pull her off of Peeta's leg.

"Nope, I'm good," she said, unaware that there was so much more meant.

"Are you sure?" he said, gesturing to the path of her fall.

She laughed at him. "Yeah, I tripped over Johanna's big feet."

Before Jo could testify to that fact, Gale had successfully pulled Katniss to standing and was urging her toward the buffet table setup. "I think you're drunk," he said flatly.

"I think I've had exactly 3 drinks, I've eaten, and..." she whirled him around, dancing to the classic rock Finnick had begun to sing, "it's my birthday. I'm having fun. And I'm an adult and can handle myself, thanks." She kissed him briefly before heading back to join the party.

"You don't want to..." he urged, reaching for her hand.

She brushed it aside, sitting down on Peeta's lap again, watching Finnick strut with his fists on his hips and butt popped out. "Yes, Gale, I really do. Why don't you go find some cocktail waitress to fuck in the bathroom." Johanna nearly fell from her spot on the arm of the couch. Peeta's mouth fell slack. Gale took off out of the room and up the hallway. Katniss realized, perhaps, that she was a little more drunk than she thought, or else she never would have said that out loud, least of all in public, and pursued him. "Wait. Wait, I'm sorry. That was out of line." She followed him down the stairs and out to the doors, grabbing his arm and pulling him back into a corner. "Look, Gale would you stop. Dammit, I'm sorry. I thought we were having fun and I fell over Johanna. I don't know what just happened. I didn't mean that. I'm sorry, okay?"

"No, you're drunk and throwing yourself-"

"Throwing myself?" she mouthed.

"Yes, throwing yourself at Peeta to make me jealous." There it was. He was jealous of Peeta. But why? She'd never given him any reason to be. He'd never reacted to Finnick like that. Why Peeta?

"When have I ever thrown myself at anyone? Especially Peeta? Ever?" she asked, trying to maintain a level of calmness.

The same couldn't be said for Gale. There was no calm left for him. "JUST NOW!" he yelled, causing patrons of the main bar to turn and look at them.

Katniss didn't notice because she was so livid. "I FELL OVER. IT WAS AN ACCIDENT!" She looked at the man seething in front of her and remembered why she was out in the first place. "You know what, I'm not doing this now. You're not ruining my birthday. Just go home, Gale."

"Seriously?" he asked her, eyes not leaving hers for a moment.

"Seriously."

With that, Katniss went back upstairs and continued having fun without him. She and Johanna managed to coerce Peeta into a Spice Girls number with them and, before long, she had forgotten all about being mad.

8 May: It's my birthday! We're all going out. Even Peeta. He and Jo have gotten close the last couple of months but she still insists that they're just friends. Weird. Maybe they don't want to jinx it? She's not big on relationships.

The summer crept up on Katniss. Suddenly, all these plans she thought she had weeks to prepare for were upon her, keeping her constantly busy. The night before she was set to leave for a whole weekend of Youtube related publicity, she'd manage to talk Gale into staying the night. She felt bad about the way she'd treated him on her birthday, but that was months earlier, now. She'd hoped that they'd be able to see past that. "You've been weird all night. What's the matter?" She asked after she'd gotten out of the shower and found Gale lounging despondent on her couch. When he didn't respond, she changed her approach. "Okay. Alright, well, I have that convention to go to this weekend, so I have to be up kind of early tomorrow morning. You coming?" she asked, dropping her towel and exposing her damp, naked body to him. He didn't even look away from the television.

"No. I think I'm gonna wait up and watch the news."

"The news? You hate the news," she said, walking into his field of vision.

He glanced up at her and shrugged. "I know. Still."

Confused and dejected, Katniss went back to the doorway, picked up her towel and called to him, "Okay. Good night, then?" before closing the door and spending a sleepless night staring at the ceiling.

13 July: If a person's spirit falls in the summer and nobody's around to hear it, does it still hurt? Yes. Yes, it does. Ever since my birthday, it seems like everything's been weird. I don't know, maybe it's just my "quarter life crisis" or whatever type of psychological shit goes down when you turn 25, but it feels like everything's ending.

The latter half of the year went much the same as the first; Katniss was busy, Gale was distant, though they weren't broken up, Johanna was by her side, Katniss saw her friends, Peeta became increasingly more involved in their plans. By the time Christmas eve rolled around, Katniss was exhausted and more than ready to put her vacation time to good use. She glanced down at her phone after trying Gale one more time and scoffed. Outgoing Calls: Gale (15) It was as though the device was making fun of her, telling her to give it a rest.

She chucked it aside and flopped down on her bed. She and Johanna had just finished filming the rest of the year's worth of cover videos, and her friend was getting ready to head out. "I give up, Johanna."

"What do you mean?" she asked, face buried in her equipment bag.

"Gale," she sighed. "Do I keep trying?"

"You've been together a long time. I think you owe it to yourself to see it through. Unless, you don't feel it anymore..." Johanna answered, turning around just in time to see Katniss' eyes dart aside guiltily. "You don't feel it anymore." It wasn't a question. It wasn't an accusation. It was so plainly stated that Katniss felt like an idiot for even bringing it up. "Then, get out before you both end up hurt worse," Johanna shrugged, sitting on the edge of the bed. "Is there someone else?" she asked innocently.

"I think so, but I don't know," Katniss said, folding her arms over her face.

Johanna screwed up her face. "How do you not know?"

Katniss threw her arm out in the direction to which she'd tossed her phone. "He's not answering me." Her tone screamed _Duh_ even if she didn't verbalize it.

"I meant with you, brainless," Johanna corrected, giving her friend a shove.

"Oh, no. No, there's not," Katniss answered, almost disappointed.

"Look, I know that I know less than nothing about relationships, but someone who's so hot and cold Katy Perry wouldn't know what to do with him doesn't want to be involved." She patted her friend on the leg lightly.

"I know."

Johanna stood up and wrapped her scarf around her neck. "Wanna come out and find someone to stuff your stocking good with me?" She humped against the dressser for good measure.

Katniss laughed and threw a pillow at her. "No, I think not."

"Then, ask Peeta up." Katniss began to protest, but Johanna would hear none of it. "You shouldn't be alone on Christmas Eve. Neither should he."

"How do you know he's alone."

"I have my ways." The girls walked to the elevator together and hugged, while waiting for it to make it's lengthening climb to the top floor. "Merry Christmas, brainless," Johanna said, squeezing her friend tight.

"Same to you," Katniss said. She was grateful to have Johanna by her sidethrough all of the twists and turns life'd thrown at her recently. She went back into her apartment and decided to take her advice.

A short while later, Katniss heard a raucous and familiar voice in the hall and went to let him in. "Love and joy come to you and to you your wassail, too. And God bless you and send you a happy new year. And God send you a happy new year!" Peeta finished with bravado as the door swung open, revealing that he was carrying a large thermos and a box from a bakery.

"Bravissimo! Encore!" Katniss applauded, taking the box from him and ushering him in to her apartment, finally hugging him when they'd put the container and box down. "Hi," she said, before taking in the full sight of him, plaid pants and all.

"Hi, yourself," he replied, setting himself down on a chair.

"What's in the thermos?" she asked opening it up and taking a big whiff before resealing it and going to get some mugs from the cabinet.

"Wassail. It's basically a hard mulled cider." He flipped open the box from the bakery and revealed its colorful contents. "And these are sugar cookies."

Katniss looked into the box and was floored. She'd have to remember to get the name of the place from him. "Wow! They're gorgeous." And they were, a plethora of different shapes and colors, each cookie iced differently with swirling snowflake designs, decorated trees, and so much more.

"Aren't they?" Peeta affirmed, with a cheeky grin, handing one to her to taste and she unquestioningly took a bite.

"So, what do you normally do on Christmas eve?" she asked between bites.

Peeta shifted uncomfortably. "I don't really have too many traditions on that. My mom wasn't really big on that kind of stuff." He trailed off and Katniss guessed that it was probably too complicated of a story to go into. "What about you?" he asked.

Brushing the crumbs off of her hands, she smiled thoughtfully. "When I was little, my parents, my sister and I used to play board games with some carols on. But after my dad died, so did Christmas, pretty much." She released a small sigh. "Prim and I haven't spent the holidays together in ages. Since she started college. Anymore, it's usually drinks at a bar and exchanging gifts at whoever's apartment is closest." The realization of how sad that sounded had never dawned on her before. She shook her head, and confessed, "I actually haven't even thought about the games and stuff in years."

"Then, that's what we'll do!" Peeta said. It sounded like as much of a plan as anything else. "One thing, though," he added, "you have to sing something for me."

Katniss nodded, crinkling up her nose. "I think I can manage that." She got up and opened the cabinet under her TV, revealing a few classic board games. "So, what do you want to play?"

The pair started off with a quick game of Life but found that they'd had about as much of that as they could stand and switched to Jenga. When they came to the realization that they were almost out of wassail, and perhaps their drunkenness was the culprit as to why the last round wound up with all of the blocks scattered across the living room on the second draw, they'd decided to give up on the games. They flipped to some channel playing the yule log and crashed on the couch.

She leaned her head on his shoulder as they talked. When she wrapped her arm around his, stretching her hand onto his thigh, he jolted upright. "So, how about that song now?"

"Alright. Like what?" Katniss got up to fetch her guitar and laptop then sat back down on the couch, one leg tucked under her.

Peeta thought for a moment before deciding "The Carpenters one."

"Merry Christmas, Darling," she asked.

"Yeah. That's my favorite," he admitted.

"Okay," the excitement on his face was precious as she searched for the chords. She looked them over, plucked one or two out to make sure this was right, then started, looking up at him. " _Greeting cards have all been sent. The Christmas rush is through. But I still have one wish to make- A special one for you..._ " She continued through the song, voice mellow and a little hushed. Peeta closed his eyes and was transported to a completely different, snowy setting. When he reopened them, she was finished. The way she smiled at him tugged at him all over and there was only one thing left for him to do.

He reached to her, placing one hand gently on her cheek, and kissed her. At first the kiss was tender, but Katniss slid the guitar off her lap, closed her eyes, and kissed him back, intensifying it and pressing her body against him. When the realization of what was going on hit her, she pulled back and gasped. "Peeta, I-"

Immediately, the sound of her voice pulled him back to reality. His face grew red. "I know, I'm sorry." He stood up and darted to the door.

"Peeta, it's fine, come back please."

"No, it's not. I shouldn't have... I'm so sorry." he called over his shoulder as the door shut behind him.

Katniss sat in silence for a while, gathering her thoughts before going into her room. She was surprised that she didn't hear piano kid plunking away at some Christmas carol.

24 December: It's Christmas Eve. Gale isn't answering his phone. He may have gone to his mom's. But he didn't tell me, so I didn't even get to ask Prim if she wanted to come up. Finnick and Annie went to be with her family. Johanna was "going to find someone to stuff her stocking good." Her words, not mine. So, she suggested I invite Peeta up. He brought wassail and cookies. We played board games and I played guitar for him. And we kissed. And I don't know what any of that means.

Her newest videos had been more popular than ever before, and followers were crawling out of the woodwork. Katniss wasn't sure what it was, but she had decided to watch back some of her more recent ones. One they'd posted in January felt so different to Katniss. Her smile was different. " _I can be alone. I can watch a sunset on my own. Sitting in restaurants, thought we were so grown up, but I know now that we were not the people that we turned out to be._ " She was pretty sure she'd been acting the song, but there were comments from people stating that this was the most genuine they could remember Katniss seeming in a song upload in a long time. " _Chatting on the phone, can't take back those hours, but I won't regret cause you can grow flowers from where dirt used to be._ " She normally hated watching back the videos of herself, but there was something here. Something she couldn't quite put her finger on. " _Dancing at discos, eating cheese on toast. Yeah, you make me merry, make me very very happy. But you obviously, you didn't want to stick around_ ," There it was again. That smile. The same one from the phrase I can be alone. The Katniss in the video shrugged as real life Katniss gaped open mouthed at herself. " _So, I learned from you_." She was done with Gale. That was it. She felt it happening and there was a moment. Katniss could be alone. She'd gotten what she could from Gale, she learned from him, and she was done.

She had to tell him. As if by divine providence, he answered her call. They'd arranged to meet at a park around the corner from his work. She hurried across town and waited in the mild spring air.

"Marry me," came Gale's voice from behind her.

Katniss whirled around, shocked. "What?"

"Marry me."

She shook her head and walked toward him. "Are you kidding? Gale, you've been distant for months. I don't even know who you are anymore."

"I'm the same person I've always been, standing in front of you, having cut all ties with any other women, saying 'marry me.'" He pulled the same box from that New Year's Eve from his pocket and opened it.

"Having..." she rubbed her eyes, hoping maybe when she opened them, the situation would be different. "Other women? Still?"

Gale deflated a bit. "You've always known that there were others, Katniss. But they're never you. I see that now."

"Now?" she shrieked. "Now?! 3 and a half years later and you get that now?" She paced around the small park and then plopped down on a bench, putting her elbows on her knees and her head in her hands. This wasn't going how she'd planned. "I don't feel the same way for you any more. It's too late. You know what... I wasn't going to tell you this because it didn't matter. In fact, I kissed someone else on Christmas Eve." She looked up at him, desperate for a response.

He didn't react at all. It was almost as though he didn't hear her at all. He knelt at her feet, looking her straight in the eye. "If you don't say yes to me now, I'll never ask again."

Katniss had had enough. She promised herself that she wasn't going to yell, or turn it into a fight. She just wanted it over. But if he needed her to be more forceful, she could light a fire under his ass. "Don't ask again," she yelled, standing up and almost knocking him over. "We're done, Gale. Over."

Gale picked himself up, dusted himself off, and opened his mouth to speak. When he found that there was nothing more for him to say, and that the look on her face could shoot arrows, he decided on a short, "Fine," and stomped off.

A wave of relief washed over Katniss. She couldn't shake the smile and head held high combination the whole way home.

14 March: He asked. Again. I said no. Again. So we're over. Again. For good this time. I'm strangely okay with it. Piano kid's tune attempt of the day: Turning Tables. Fitting. I wonder if they heard me singing along.

"Months, Katniss. It's been months," Finnick assessed of a single Katniss one night as the summer began. He was sure she'd been locking herself away and being sad about her break up, and that's why he hadn't seen much of her recently, even though she'd assured him a thousand times that that could not be farther from the truth. He'd even been surprised when he arrived at her door to find her in clean clothes with her apartment in order. He'd expected to find a shell of a woman.

"I've been busy," she sighed, whacking her head against the arm of the sofa accidentally and rubbing at the sore spot.

"You've been moping."

She rolled her eyes and got up, crossing to the refrigerator for a can of soda. "I've been working, Finnick." And that was the truth of it. She'd been working nonstop and, since she'd stopped bartending altogether, Finnick no longer had reason to walk her home, so their time together had come to a grinding halt.

"Well, do me a favor. A friend of mine from work broke up with his girlfriend, and she was... well, let's just suffice it to say she was a real piece of work," he stated, looking at Katniss.

"A blind date is your favor?" she raised an eyebrow at him.

Finnick nodded, transparent as ever. "Yes. You need to get out."

Katniss shook her head and closed her eyes, not believing she was going to agree to this. "Fine. Whatever. When?"

She agreed to Friday and, when the guy texted Finnick back agreeing, it was settled.

Two days later, after the worst date of her life, she texted Finnick. "I hate you."

"i never said youd like him. just that you needed to get out of the house."

22 June: I went on a date today. Some guy Finnick knows from work, Gloss. He was... very attractive, and had every personality flaw of Finnick's amplified by a million. Plus, he seemed to talk more about his sister than anything else. A little weird. Why did I agree to this?

In her spare time, which had become increasingly harder to come by as the summer went on, Katniss enjoyed spending time on the roof. She'd take her phone and lay out in her warm orange bikini top and black sleep shorts. If she knew no one else would bother her, she'd liked to have been in her bikini bottoms too, but people did come up there occasionally. "Hey! What are you doing up here?" came a friendly voice approaching from the stairwell access.

Katniss shielded her eyes and saw Peeta standing over her. "Enjoying the sun. Do you want to join me?"

He thought about it for a moment, glanced down at the tools in his hand, then pocketed them again. "Yeah, give me fifteen minutes?"

"Okay..." she said, unsure of why he had to go back inside if he'd just come up here, but it didn't much matter, she guessed. After a few more minutes, he did return, this time, carrying a woven basket and in much more comfortable clothes than the jeans and plaid button down he'd been in previously, now in a forest green tank top and khaki shorts. "What's all this?" she asked curiously.

"Lunch," he answered, as though his intentions were as clear as could be when he left.

She marvelled at him as he sat down on the blanket she'd spread out. "You have a legitimate picnic basket?"

"I do, indeed," he said, flipping it open and spreading out it's contents.

Katniss peered into it, suddenly very aware of how hungry she was. "So, what do you have in there?"

"Homemade Turkey sandwiches. Cheese buns. Potato Chips. Snickerdoodles. Lemonade." Peeta pulled item after item out of the basket, pausing for a moment to wipe condensation off of the growler of liquid

"All homemade?" she asked, expecting him to laugh at her.

Instead, he nodded. "Every bit."

She leaned back, eyeing him suspiciously. "Come on..." she said.

"I run a bakery, Katniss. I have a garden on the roof over there. That's what I was coming up here for, to put one here too. I cooked the turkey breast myself, and..." he stopped, catching the baffled look on her face and laughed. "Why do you look so surprised?"

"I just had no idea," she stammered.

Peeta simply shrugged. "You never asked."

"No, I didn't. You're right," she admitted sheepishly. She scanned the food. Everything looked so good and she didn't know where to start. Being herself, she had to go with the carbs. She picked up a cheese bun, tore a piece off, and popped it in her mouth. "Oh my God, Peeta," she moaned. They were absolutely sinful.

Peeta nodded, wide-eyed. "I know, right?"

"And so modest," she said, putting the rest into her mouth.

"I don't have room for modesty with food. There's a legitimate building uptown with my name on it whose existence depends on my food being good."

Katniss considered him for a moment, then nodded. "I'm gonna have to spend more time up there then." Because I'm going to need like a dozen of these a week.

"I think you've got a pretty good hook-up," he said with a playful wink and a gleaming smile reminiscent of a younger Finnick. She'd have to remember to hit him the next time she saw him for that.

"What about those gorgeous cookies from Christmas," she asked, taking a snickerdoodle and turning it in her hands thoughtfully, deliberately ignoring the way he winced when she mentioned Christmas.

He nodded again. "Me too."

"Get out," she wowed. "You're crazy talented, Peeta."

Peeta smiled. "Listen, Katniss, about Christmas..." he said, putting his cup of lemonade down and turning to face her, "I just wanted to apologize."

She waved her hands in protest. "I broke up with Gale anyway."

"You did? When?" He blanched. Though he didn't like the idea of having any part in breaking people up, he had to admit that he was more than a little glad of it.

"March," she answered, unaffected.

"Oh."

Katniss moved closer to him and placed her hand on his thigh. "Peeta, that was a great kiss. I wouldn't hate it if it happened again."

The color rushed back to his cheeks. "I'll have to keep that in mind." And just like that, any guilt he felt washed away and everything was back to a comfortable rapport.

29 August: I like sitting on the roof with Peeta. He's so nice and so charming and he cooks. Like, really cooks. He made us a picnic today, and he actually made everything on the sandwiches including the bread. Like, he grew the veggies in a garden. I was floored. Apparently, he runs a little bakery uptown. Who knew? I like learning more about him.

Katniss sat atop the drier in the laundry room of her apartment building, flipping through a magazine that was so wildly out of date that it felt like fiction. The door swung open and in came Peeta, a full laundry basket in his arms. "Fancy meeting you here," he said, dropping the basket to the floor with a sharp crack and leaning on a machine.

"What a strange coincidence," she said, crossing her legs and smiling.

"So, how was your tour?" he asked, starting to throw the garments into the machine, never once looking away from her.

"Amazing! I mean, it was just up and down the east coast but it was still so cool, getting to perform for all the fans," she answered, a huge smile on her face, as though she didn't quite believe it herself.

"That sounds incredible!"

"Yeah, it was. How about you?"

"Good. Nothing like that, but still, I'm doing alright. Better, now." He closed the washer and started it, then headed toward her.

"Now?" she asked.

"Well, seeing you's a pretty good birthday present," he said, kind of ashamed to bring it up.

"It's your birthday?" she squealed

"Yep."

She threw herself at him, bounding off the dryer and into a hug. "Happy birthday!"

"Thank you," he said, looking at the smiling woman in his arms. She bit her lip a little, staring at his mouth. He tugged a little on the braid over her shoulder. When she still didn't pull away, he moved his hand to the side of her neck. She leaned toward him a little. That was all the signal he needed. He closed the gap between them, kissing her. He started of chastely at first, but as she dug her nails into his back, he deepened the kiss, lifting her off the ground and putting her back on the dryer. She laced her fingers into his hair and tugged, grinding her hips against him. When he felt the telltale stir in the pit of his stomach, he knew he had to back off. He stepped back, a little out of breath, paced in a quick circle, then hopped up on the machine next to her.

After their pulses came back down to an acceptable pace, Katniss smiled, returning the conversation to normal. "You know, I've been dreaming about those cheese buns."

5 October: Peeta kissed me in the laundry room today. I wasn't expecting it. It was nice. I really think I could have feelings for him, but I don't want to risk it. Johanna said "It's about time." Apparently I'm the last one to pick up on it.

After the success of the previous year's Christmas eve celebration, she'd expanded the night to include Johanna and Prim, more food, and lots more Wassail. Again, as the night wore down, Katniss provided entertainment. Prim, who hadn't seen her sister sing in such an intimate setting in a long time, requested one that Katniss used to sing all the time when they were young. The Beatles had been their father's favorite, and Katniss had, obviously, taken quite a shine to them as well. After Across The Universe came out, Katniss walked around for weeks singing a specific tune she'd all but forgotten. Of course, she didn't even need the chords for that song. She began to sing, very lightly. " _If I fell in love with you, would you promise to be true and help me understand? 'Cause I've been in love before and I found that love was more than just holding hands_." She smiled at Prim, who was bouncing up and down on the sofa next to a transfixed Peeta. " _If I give my heart to you, I must be sure from the very start that you would love me more than her. If I trust in you, oh please, don't run and hide. If I love you too, oh please, don't hurt my pride like her. 'Cause I couldn't stand the pain_." She looked down at her guitar, trying not to let the song mean any more than just what her sister wanted her to sing. But Peeta, sitting there across from her, blue eyes fixed on her, was not going to let that happen. Johanna glanced between the two, then smiled, realizing that Katniss was letting her guard down. " _And I would be sad if our new love was in vain. So I hope you see that I would love to love you. And that she will cry when she learns we are two. 'Cause I couldn't stand the pain and I would be sad if our new love was in vain. So I hope you see that I would love to love you and that she will cry when she learns we are two... If I fell in love with you_."

When the trio of guests had gotten bored of the human jukebox routine, the four of them sat around talking for hours. Johanna had mentioned something about a stage door experience of some show or other, and Peeta had admitted something to the group.

"I can't believe you've lived here this long and never seen a Broadway show," Primrose said, staring at him.

"I've never really had the time," he shrugged.

Katniss, too, was floored. "But they're so good."

"Maybe we should all go see one then? What would you suggest?"

"Since you're a first timer, I'd say Disney or maybe a jukebox show," Prim answered, thoughtfully.

"Is The Lion King still playing?" he asked.

Katniss smiled broadly at him. "I should have known."

"What?" he insisted.

"Nothing, you're just cute, that's all."

25 December: Alright, kid. Massive props for Seasons of Love. Definitely a nontraditional Christmas tune. I hope you heard Prim and me singing along this morning. It only took you a couple tries to get through the run. Not bad at all. I still don't understand why I've never seen you in the building. I might have to figure something out someday. My Christmas was good. It was the first one since Gale left and the second consecutive one I've spent with Peeta. This time, it was planned, and Johanna and Prim were there too, but...

Over Christmas, Johanna, Katniss, Peeta, and Prim had decided that, once the weather broke, Prim would come back into the city and they'd go get tickets for The Lion King. Katniss watched Peeta the whole time, revelling in his childlike awe. She could feel herself falling for him more and more, but was too afraid that he might not really feel the same.

After the show, as they were inching through the lobby with the rest of the audience, Johanna asked the big question. "So, what did you think?"

"Those puppets?! And their voices," Peeta answered, enthusiasm bubbling over. It was almost as though he'd been waiting for someone to ask him, and now that they'd uncorked it, he didn't seem likely to stop. "I know they were mic'ed and all, but wow."

"Ladies and gentlemen," Johanna called out to the crowd, startling them all. "I think we have a convert."

There were some cheers from people in their immediate vicinity and Peeta blushed hard. "I just... wow.'

"You're so cute," Katniss stated, linking her arm with his.

"Do we want to get food or something?" Johanna asked as they, blinking, stepped into the sun.

"Yeah, where do you think?" Prim asked.

Ever the smartass, Johanna replied, "Someplace overrated, over priced, over crowded, and touristy?"

Peeta shrugged, open to just about anything at the moment. He entwined his fingers with Katniss' and pulled her closer to his side, testing the casual p.d.a. boundaries. Katniss didn't pull away. He smiled more. Yep. They could stop for vendor hot dogs and smelly sidewalk nuts and he'd be absolutely fine, as long as she didn't let go of his hand.

"Sounds good to me," Prim said, always excited to fall into tourist traps.

They headed into a restaurant in the same block, whose cheesecake Katniss had always wanted to try. Peeta took a mental note to come up with a sweet cheese bun recipe.

They four walked Prim back to the train station and said their goodbyes. From there, the 3 city dwellers got on the subway and headed for their respective apartments. After a steamy makeout session in the elevator, Peeta disembarked from the car and headed up the hall. When Katniss finally reached her door, entered and flopped down on the couch, emotionally spent.

Just then, piano kid struck up a tune. For a moment, she sat in stunned silence. It was smooth. It was recognizable. It was good! And it was Can You Feel The Love Tonight. Katniss beamed. _I certainly feel the love, piano kid. You definitely get me._ The song was flawless. Absolutely no mistakes. Katniss beamed. Even though she didn't know the kid, she was so proud of them. She dashed into her bedroom, grabbed her diary out of it's hiding spot under her bottom drawer, flipped back a few years and checked for the first appearance of piano kid, exactly four years earlier. She scrawled the day's log in, then ran out the door. She tapped her foot impatiently as the elevator worked it's way to her. She walked down the hall until she reached the apartment directly under hers. She knocked on the door a few times. When she heard the deadbolt slide open, she began her little speech, looking down at her feet. "Hi, so, I live in the apartment over you and I've been listening to you play since the day you got your piano dropped off and I just wanted to say..."

"Hey, Katniss."

"Peeta," she gasped, smiling at the more-than-friendly face.

"You've been able to hear me playing?" he asked. Secretly, he was a little embarrassed to know that she'd heard him all that time. What else did she hear?

She smiled a sheepish smile. "Yeah..."

"And you never noticed that I live a floor below you?" Peeta asked. Surely that detail hadn't escaped her. Either way, he took her by the hand and ushered her into his living room.

She blushed at her lack of observation skills. "No. I mean... I never knew what apartment number..."

"So, you were just going to storm down here and congratulate some random person..."

She interrupted him. "I thought it was a little kid and I wanted to make sure they knew someone noticed the improvement..."

"Well, that makes me feel good, I guess..." he mused, looking at her, in his apartment for the first time. "Some random little kid on their piano," he laughed.

"Yes."

"And you just happened to find me," he said, crossing into his kitchen, flicking on the stove and putting the kettle on.

Katniss crossed her arms and sighed. "Yes."

"I'm glad I've never invited you over," he said, completely serious.

She looked crestfallen. "Why?"

Peeta cracked a smile. "This whole incident would never have happened." As soon as she realized for sure that he wasn't angry or embarrassed, she wasted no time grabbing him by the front of his shirt and pulling him in for a kiss; the first she'd initiated. She pushed him against the counter with such a hunger, Peeta wasn't sure he'd be able to stay on his feet. When she finally backed away, he asked "And did you plan that for the random piano playing kid?"

"No," she panted. "That was just for you."

"Just me," he restated, a cocky grin creeping across his face. "So... You like me?"

She looked him straight in the eye and confirmed it with a bold "Yes."

"I'm sorry, I'm having trouble following this," he toyed, sliding his hands down her back, resting them just at the small of her back. "You just admitted that you have feelings for me. Real or not real?" he asked, resting his forehead against hers.

Voice just above a whisper, Katniss answered, "Very, very real."

"Thank God," he said, not wasting another moment before crashing his lips against hers. She wrapped her legs around his waist and let herself be whisked away into his bedroom.

15 Apr: It's been 4 years to the day since I first heard Piano Kid play. Today, they played Can You Feel The Love Tonight all the way through with no hiccups, no bumps, no stopping, no sour notes. I'm going down there to congratulate them. I don't care if it's creepy. I just have this weird need to go and tell them how great it was. Especially since we all just saw it this afternoon. What if their parents or teacher doesn't really care? That would suck. They need to know.

If anyone had told her three years that, by then, she'd be living with a serious boyfriend who wasn't Gale, she'd have scoffed. If they'd added that it would be the source of the piano music that permeated her daily life, she'd have laughed. Still, there they were, in a bigger apartment in a nicer neighborhood, closer to Peeta's bakery.

One night, Peeta came in from work, not expecting Katniss to be home so early. "Hey, babe," he said slowly, trying to hide the velvet box in his hands.

"Hey. What's that?" she asked curiously.

"What? Oh, nothing," he said, shoving it conspicuously into his back pocket.

Katniss answered with a simple unconvinced, "Okay," in a sing-songy voice. She watched him pace around the apartment before disappearing into their bedroom.

"Were you staring at my ass?" he asked, peeking his head back around the threshold.

"Is that a problem?" she asked innocently.

Peeta smiled broadly, shaking his head from side to side. "Not at all."

15 Apr: It's been a year since piano kid became Peeta became my boyfriend. I moved in with him about 3 months ago. I think he's going to propose sometime soon. I don't think he realizes that I'm going to say yes.


End file.
